Pulverized fuel gas tuebine



April 20,1954 J. l. YELLOTT PULVERIZED FUEL GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 17, 1950 INVENTOR Jon/v1. Xsuorr ATTORNEY April 20, 1954 .1. l. YELLOTT PULVERIZED FUEL. GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 17,1956

Job/g 1. M5775?? 5W 4. m

ATTORNEY A ril 20; 1954 Filed Nov.

J. l. YELLOTT v PULVERIZED FUEL GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 o g, a $8 o m 4 I 0 g N N;

M N Jofin i Y SWSE fwd W ATTORNEY April 20, 1954 J. YELLOTT PULVERIZED FUEL GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov.

deli/3 1. W

AW ATTORNEY April 20, 1954 J. YELLOTT 2,575,676

PULYERIZED FUEL GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT Filed Nov. 17. 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR (1013 51. Yel/off M A. M

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1954 PULVERIZED FUEL GAS TURBINE POWER PLAN-T J ohn- I...Yellott, Baltimore, MEL, assignor to Bituminous CoaLResearch, Inc., Washington Di (3., a corporation of, Delaware Applicatiom-Novembei: 17, 1950', Serial-No. 1 96,2823

13 Claims. 1

This invention. relates to. improvements in coal-burning gas turbine power plants wherein all; storagev offuel and ash is accomplished at atmospheric-pressure and all operations, including; fuel preparation, otherthan combustion and ash-separation, are likewise, conducted at atmospheric pressure.

In-the var-iableloadoperation of gas turbines, as forexample in locomotive operation; the'pressure in the gasturbine system varies widely. Thus, the pressuremay vary from about l-1bs. gauge, at. idling speed, to about 55 lbs; gauge at full, load. As a oonsequenceall efforts to feed pulverized-fuel from a container at those variableprese sures have resulted in, defeat becauseoi' the effect of pressure Variation: upon any feeding; and controlling device;

I have now found that pulverized coal can be successfully burned under all operating COIIdi-r tions by keeping the preparation. and feeding of the'coal at the one pressure which. remains-con stant in a gas turbine system under varying loadsatmospheric pressure. The continuous pressurizing of the; coal, at whatever rate: may be established by the feeder, is handled; by an improved rotary coal and solids transfer pump. in. which compressed air flowing in, a. conveying: airline carries pulverized coal; from the bottom of the pump to the pressurized combuston: The pump rotor merely transports coal from an atmospheric pressure zone to. a high pressure zone; Thus, thevariablespeed drive on the; coal feeder acts as a: throttle for overall. plant. control.

In. the novel system herein, coal preparation involves the delivery of lump coal from: a bunker toa pulverizer and conveying; of; the. pulverized:

coal to a coal separator mounted? on top. of. a.

pulverized coal storage tank, The coal level in the tank is controlled by a level indicator which controls the stoker feed. A variable-speed feeder.- controls the rate of: coal flow from. the

tank; llhe. coal in the storage tank is highly aerated and'its bulk. densityruns. as low: as lbs. per cubic foot. Also, it is. fluidized to such an extent that it will readily fiow as a labile fluid. The rotary coal. pump herein. permits the con-- tinuous pressurizing of the-fluidized coal: at whatever rate it is fed, minimizing time-delays, thereby; permitting the controlling of the system without longtime lags between the actuation of the coal feeding device and the response-ofthe turbine. This condition makes for true throttle control, which is of utmost importance in: the operation of locomotives, and makes thepower plants: herein: especially: suited for such use;

By the use. of: turbine exhaust; gases for; drying-:. of bunkercoal the; unitary power plant: herein: is: rendered cap-able of utilizing any kind; of coal; which. can be loaded intothe, bunker and which then. can bow processed; into condition, always at': atmospheric pressure, where it can be fed into" the combustor'a-nd burned;

In my Patent 2,491/i35. of: December 13, 194:9, for. Gas: Turbine Exhaust Steam Generators; and

' its parent; application, Ser;.No.-. 691 307; filed August: 1'7, 194,6; noWPatent No; 2,651,176; for Coal Fired Gas, Turbine Powerv Blants, the use of hot turbine exhaust gases; for drying of bunker coal is disclosed; Int-myooepending application. Ser. No. ;2-1.5,.fi1ed November 30, 194.9; now Patent No. 2,652, 8 ,v for! Gas 'Ilurbine Power Plant Solid Fuel Feeding Means;.I- have disclosed andclaimed arotary solidsitransfer pump for handling; nonpulverized crushed coal; an; improved form of, which; is, incorpor-atedin the system herein,

It istherefore, among the features. of. novelty and. advantage of: thepresent; invention. to pro-- vide an improved coal burning; gas turbine power plant, having a; high". pressure; combustion system incorporating; a. continuous ash blowdowngan atmospheric mill?v converting bunker coal to pul verizedcoal; and an atmospheric storage tank forpowdered coal coupled to. av combustor through a, high. pressure conveying air line, by means Off asolids-transfer pump.

Other features of; novelty and advantag of the present invention include a rotary solids transfer pump, of improved construction and. efiicienow a; series connected, multiple ash sepa f ri ncludin a. first, louver type separator, and a second. fine ash separator; parallel, ses.-. Qndary ashseparators. severally incorporating a first; blowdown line for the removal. and cooling of; uncornbusted; fuel; particles and: agglomerates from the; first primary separator, andv a second blowdownline; forthe, fineash from; the second primary separator; said blowdown lines discharg ins. as injectors, into; a; main. ash removal line, whereby inspirated' air cools the separated ash and uncombustecl particles. beingi heated thereby,

bBi more. clearly: understood; by reference to the drawings and accompanying description, in which arprefer red form of the system herein, and

the component elements thereof, are shown by way-'of-= exampleonly'.

In-'- the drawings, like numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views, of which Fig. 1 is a schematic showing of a power plant incorporating the novel coal preparation elements, with atmospheric pulverizing mill and feeding into a high pressure combustion system, together with multiple ash separators arranged for continuous blowdown of hot ash and other solids from the gas turbine motive fluid supply;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly in broken section, of a coal feeder as used in the power plant of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the improved nonflooding solids transfer pump of the system of Fig. 1, with its driving motor;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the pump and motor of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the solids pump;

Fig. 6 is a phantom view, partly in broken sec tion, of the solids pump, and

Fig. '7 is a half-section view of the pump taken through the horizontal axis of the rotor shaft.

Turning now to the drawings, and with particular reference to the showing of Fig. 1, there is shown a power plant of the gas turbine driven, generating electric type, in which bunker coal is preliminarily crushed and dried, then pulverized in an atmospheric mill, and fed to an atmospheric storage tank incorporating a solids separator. From this tank it is delivered, at a controlled rate, into the hopper of a special, rotary solids transfer pump, which discharges the pulverized coal into the pressurized conveying air line leading to the combustor of the gas turbine system.

The improved system herein comprises a pulverized coal preparation system including a coal bunker I0, an atmospheric pulverizer or mill 20, an atmospheric storage tank 30, for pulverized coal, and incorporating a cyclone separator with air return to the mill, a variable solids feeder 40, and a rotory solids transfer pump 00. The system also includes a combustor I00, discharging ash-bearing motive fluid through a multiple ash separator, designated generally by the numeral IIO, wherein it is cleaned, and discharging cleaned motive fluid to a gas turbine I having an exhaust duct or stack, which incorporates a regenerator I30. A first, secondary air compressor I40 is coupled to and driven by the turblue, as is an electric generator I50. A multiple unit, continuous ash blowdown system, designated generally by the numeral I60, receives the air-borne ash discharging from the primary ash separators and delivers this ash through cooling oil injectors to cooled ash separator means having a discharge line discharging quenched ash, at atmospheric pressure to ash storage means.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, the bunker I0 comprises a body portion II with a sloping bottom I2 and a discharge trough I3, housing a feeder screw, not shown, which is driven by motor I4 through shaft I5. Preliminary crushing of the bunker coal is effected in the discharge trough by the feeder screw, the crushed coal being delivered into pulverizer 20 through line I6. Inlet and outlet connections I! and I8 are provided for the screw feeder trough I3. Optionally, hot air for drying the bunker coal may be supplied to inlet I! from the exhaust I 30 from turbine I20, as disclosed in my Patent 2,491,435, above referred to. The inlet line I I may be tapped into the hot air discharge line I I4, from the ash separator system, as will be described more in detail hereinafter. The mill 20 includes a casing 2I housing the crushing mechanism, which is continuously driven by motor 22 through drive mechanism 23. A fan, not shown, is housed in the upper section 24 of the housing. A discharge line 25 connects the upper section of the mill with a solids separator in the top of pulverized coal storage tank 30, and a. return line 26 connects the separator with the fan casing, whereby acontinuous circulation of air is effected between the mill and the separator. The solids separator of tank 30 is provided with a bleed or vent line 21 in fluid communication with vent line I" from the ash separating system. The storage tank 30 comprises a closed body section 3I having a sloping bottom 32 mounted on and discharging into the variable feeder 40. A level control 33, of the paddle type, is mounted in the storage tank and is connected to lower and upper level controls 34, 35, respectively, which are connected, through control line 36, to the stoker motor I4, whereby the stoker is set in operation only when the pulverized coal in tank 30 drops below a predetermined level. The feeder and rotary transfer solids pump 60 discharge regulated amounts of v pulverized coal into the combustor air feed line IOI, of combustor I00, which includes an outer shell I02 and an inner combustion chamber I03, into which the combustive air-borne pulverized coal is delivered, Secondary air, compressed in compressor I40, is fed through plenum chamber MI and regenerator I30, mounted in the turbine exhaust duct, into the combustor, where it flows into and around flame tube I03, cooling the same, and combines and mixes with the products of combustion to form an ash-carrying motive heated fluid. This motive fluid is passed through a first, louvre-type, ash separator I I I, where most of the coarse and some of the fine ash is separated out, and through the second ash separator I I2, where the fine ash is removed. The resulting, cleaned heated motive fluid is delivered, through duct I I3 and turbine inlet line I2 I, to the turbine I20, where it expands, doing work, and discharges through the turbine exhaust duct, in heat-exchanging relation with the regenerator, to the atmosphere. A second air line I42 is tapped into plenum chamber I4I of the compressor discharge line and the air is raised in pressure by a second booster compressor I43, driven by electric motor I44. This compressed, primary air is delivered, through line I45, to the rotary transfer pump 60, where it picks up the regulated feed of pulverized coal to form a streaming entrainment of fluidized coal particles in a pressurized convey ing air stream, which is delivered to the combustor through fuel-air feed line III I. The motor I44 may be driven at constant speed by direct current through line I52 from D. C. generator I5 I, coupled to main generator I50.

Coal feeder Referring now to Fig. 2, there is shown a varia. ble speed coal feeder, of the type known under the trade name of Omega Feeder, made by Builders Iron Foundry, Providence, R. I. No claim is made to the specific details of this device, apart from its inclusion in the pulverized coal feeding system. The description will, therefore, be restricted to the details shown as illustrative of the improved control system herein.

The feeder, designated generally by the numeral 40, comprises a coal hopper 4| mounted on platform 42 supported on flanged top 43 of feeder casing 44. The casing 44 houses fluted rotor 45 and discharges into trough 46 mounting screw 41 which discharges into flanged outlet 48. A

, variable speed transmission 49 is mounted on supporting? platf 013m; 50; amt is; operatively' connect.- ed' to rotor" 45 and; screw 4?]: through; suitable connect-ions, not shown: Thei hopperz M is"v hermetically: securedl to: the: discharge" hopper 32 of atmospheric? coal storage tanks: 30;. and: to the mouth or inlet, of the novelr'ooal pmnp ti). The" rotor is is engagediby the: conformed saw teeth. 5t of. plate which is springebiased: by springr'zt held: in place-by pin- 54;. which is reciprocable in bass. as: of rotor casing 443 Rotary solids transfer pump Therotary solids transfer pumpiie and: its accessories arershovm in detail inlFigs. Pete I, bothinclusive: The pump. and its driving motor 3; are mounted on aplattorm; 2 of baseon support The drivingfshaett (tot. the meter is connected to: shaft T t of 13116'101301. through flexiblev cou pling 5 Referring more particularly to Fig. 6-,. a pump will be seentoicomprise a pair oi symmetrical-end platestt, 6-5, of. generally circular construction; havingtmncated. fiat top. surfaces 62, 62., and supported on spaced legs63; 63 The body of the pump co-mprises-= an annular center castingor ring 8:! having: truncated top-surface 65in alignmentwithsurfaces 62, 62' of the end? plates, and" forming. a horizontal bearing. surface therewith. Annular bearinglhousingsfifi; 6.! are severally secured toand spaced from end plates 6t, 6-!" by radially disposed spiders.- Elit, 61 Flanged thrustlaearings 6 6c and. Gila respectively mountingthe stator cages-of. ballebearings- 6th and 61b severally secured onlshait it, are locked in place by lock nuts-i I a. on and over member 6560 by machinescrewstfid. In. like manner centrally apertured: end plate. 61c is secured to support 6.! and collar 611w by. machine screw Side The. center: casing 6 is-se.-- cured in'place in-and between-:the. endplates. by any suitable means; such asfitted machine. bolts 68. The supporting feet-63, 6.3! of thev end plates. are secured to the base support l by machine screw 69. As-shown more indetail inFig. 'Z, the rotor H!- of the pump is-mountedon-shatt ll having an integral collar ?2, fitting in socket 3-3; of. the rotor. and locked in place by bolt. 7-4, tapped. intohole '55.. The rotor. is-provided with aplu rality of peripheral pockets 16, having endfaces .71, the pockets-beingset at a-AS" angle, asmore specifically set forth and claimed in' my said application,v Ser. No. 136,215,. filed November. 30; 1949, now PatentNo. 2,652,687 for Turbine. Power Plant Solid Fuel Feeding Means. The. lips ll of the rotor. pockets have. close. clearances with the inner. face of center castingttkthe spec-- ing being desirably of: the order. of. one-half; the average particle size of. the. material being. hane dled. The. faces of the. rotor are: cut away, as. indicated. generally at til, todefine. bearing sections '59, extending from the rootsof. the rotor. pockets inwardly to the recessed sections. It of the rotor faces.

Annular sealingrings 8%. of; any suitablebearring or self-lubricating. composition such as,. copper-graphite and provided with annulariyserratedbearing faces 3! and. annular backing; rings 32 of flatchannel cross-section, are mount edin grooves. :23, 83., in the end. plates. iii, 61' The sealing rings are maintained. in positive. bearing. engagement. againstv thev bearing sur faces of the rotor f-acesin the-tollewing. man-- ner. A pressure line as is tapped into; duct 3%. formed and: through the ring, casingrand; endz plates;

End cap etcsissecured V iii) ly' through duct. as and inwardly in end; plates? 6-! 61/ tozestablish.connectionwith the: grooves 83', 83L. ductsil-l', 8H1", normally; sealedoff and closed byspimlles 88s of valves; 8-.9 secured. in the faces of the.endiplates', assshown. The ducts 851, 81' open-- into channels 94; formed. in. bleed lines 9?]; The.

bleed lines lfifi open'into thespaces formed by and betweenithe recessed faces 'm of the rotor and the cooperating 'i'nnerfaces of the end plates. Suit ablesealingc means, such;v as: leather packing rings 92.; are-mountedonthe shaft H and held in place by'tli'e: usual". annular" packing supports 93'. The" vents 98: 211161 vented" to: the: atmosphere in any suitable manner:

Withthen'ov-el rotor mounting shown, air, or

other? suitable fluid, at: a pressure higher than that obtaining. inil'ine'. I65. is introduced into line. 8%. With the: spindles. 38'? o'iivalves 89' throttle'd' 0i?! and. fiuidi pressure is applied": against the supporting rings 8240f the" sealing-members 81 thereby foroin'g the'. latter:intozsealing-bearing engagement: against the bear gr faces. 79 of rotor H1.

Because of. the'hi'ghenah: pressure obtaining. in

ducts 86; 86.; any leakage of air-will be inwardly of thesealing' members and. radially outward The ash: separation system includes a first, coarse ash: separator l! l preferably of the louvre type, in series with a second, fine ash separator ll 2 which delivers-cleaned; pressurized motive gas to the; turbine 28, through ducts H3 and HI. The continuous blowdown system Hit, incorporates a pair'of cyclone separators iii, [62, an air injector asha conduit 57.8,. and. a cooled ash cyclone separator: [72, fed" by conduit H0. The cleaned air-from. the cooled ash separator discharges through a vent line IM and pipe H, to

the feeder screw trough of the coal bunker, whereby the heatedgases from. the ash separation. system" can; be used to dry the crushed: coal delivered by the screw feeder to the pulverizing mill.

The cyclone separators of the blowolown systern. Hi5); comprise a first separator I51, and a second separator H52, severally provided with inlet lines Hi3; cleaned gas outlet lines I55, Hi6, and separated ash discharge lines 67, I58.

Inlet line I63; receives coarse ash; carried in-v gaseous motive fluid, from louvre separator 5H,

anddischargesit tangentially into separator. IBI

wherein the solids are separated from the. accompanying', hotmotive gas. The cleaned motive gas-is discharged through outlet 65 to line we of." separator I.t 2 The. separated solids are dis- I charged into the common: ash removal line Ililg. through dischargeline- H31; Theoutlet end of line LE1? comprises. a right-angle bend having a re stricted discharge" opening, or." nozzle', I57, lo-

cated; in the; centralv longitudinal; axis: of conduit A pair of; ductsBG; 86; are tappedradiah 75o. Hit;

The: discharge nozzle 1.618" of line IE8 is The: ducts 86', 86' are provided: with: lead:

7 centered in the mouth of conduit I10, whereby the gas issuing from nozzle I68 expands into conduit l'lll, acting as an injector, whereby cool, ambient air is inspirated into the line through its bell. mouth I H. The inspirated air not only quenches the ash particles from separator I82, but also quenches the coarse ash and unburned combustible solids from separator ISI. This quenching effect is due to the relatively large volume of air inspirated into conduit I10 by the pressurized gases expanding through injector nozzles 551, I68. The volume of inspirated air is calculated to reduce the temperature of the entrained particulate and agglomerated solids, discharged from the combustion system (temp. about lsilfi" FL), down to about 400 R, which is a safe operating temperature for ash handling, being below the combustion threshold temperature of carbonaceous ash, The cleaned motive gases from the separators [GI and IE2 discharge into turbine inlet line H3, wherein they are mixed with the main stream of motive fluid delivered to the turbine. Because of pressure losses through the ash separators, the pressure in the turbine feed line will be somewhat less than that obtaining in the line from the combustor to the ash separators. As a result of this condition, there will be a positive pressure difference exerted, at all times, on the secondary ash separators, and the ash from these separators will be discharged in pressurized gas streams, which flow through blowdown nozzles I and IE8 into conduit 170. A certain amount of cooling of the ash takes pace in separators Hi, H2, and in their respective discharge lines 563, I64, as well as in secondary separators Nil, I62. The temperature of the cooling air inspirated into conduit we will be raised to about 400 F. by the entrained ash, which is separated out in separator Hi2, and discharged into ash receiver I13, wherein it may be stored without danger of combustion of unburned coal particles or agglomerates. The cleaned gas "rom the separator I12 is discharged through vent line PM to the atmosphere or any suitable space heating device.

The line H4 is provided with valved connections I15, 176, respectively connected to vent line 21 of atmospheric, powdered coal storage tank 38, and to inlet line H of coal feeder trough I3. A continuous air circulation system, as obtains in mill at and storage tank 30, requires a certain amount of bleeding or venting, which is made possible by connecting line 2'! to line I14. Any powdered coal discharged through line 21, will be passed through the coal in the screw feeder trough, along with the drying air from line I14, and will be separated out on the coarser coal particles.

It will now be appreciated that there has been provided a novel generating electric power plant, particularly adapted for use in coal burning locomotives and other installations having restricted space available, and which permits the use of bunker coal while permitting the pressurized combustion of the coal as a streaming entrainment of pulverized particles carried in a pressurized stream. The novel system herein is characterized further by the following improvements: pressurized combustion of fluidized solids with preliminary pulverization at atmospheric pressure; the use of a pressurized pneumatic conduit for delivering fluidized solids to a combustor, together with storage of the pulverized solids at atmospheric pressure and transfer of the pulverized solids from atmospheric pressure storage to a pressurized pneumatic conveyor by means of a solids transfer pump; and the continuous blowdown of ash separated from pressurized motive fluid together with quenching of the ash and storage at atmospheric pressure.

What is claimed is:

l. A generating electric power plant including a coal fired gas turbine, a generator driven by the turbine, a source of heated motive gases for the turbine including a first secondary air compressor driven by the turbine, a second primary air compressor, a coal bunker, a coal pulverizer fed from the bunker, atmospheric pressure pulverized coal storage means, a pressurized combustor, a pressurized pulverized coal feed line from the coal storage means to the pressurized combustor incorporating a variable delivery, pulverized coal feeder and a constant speed rotary solids transfer pump, said feeder discharging into said feed line through said pump, pneumatic conduit means delivering high pressure primary air from the second compressor to the pulverized coal feed line, pneumatic conduit means delivering low pressure secondary air from the first compressor to the combustor, and duct means delivering heated motive gases from the combustor to the turbine and incorporating continuous blowdown, multiple ash separating means.

2. A generating electric power plant including a coal fired gas turbine, a generator driven by the turbine, a source of heated motive gases for the turbine including a first secondary air compressor driven by the turbine, a second primary air compressor, a coal bunker, a coal pulverizer fed from the bunker, atmospheric pulverized coal storage means, a pressurized combustor, a pressurized solids feed line from the atmospheric coal storage means to the pressurized combustor incorporating a variable delivery, pulverized coal feeder and a constant speed rotary solids transfer pump, said feeder being at atmospheric pressure and discharging into the said pressurized feed line through said pump, pneumatic conduit means delivering high pressure primary air from the second compressor to the pressurized pulverized coal feed line, pneumatic conduit means delivering low pressure secondary air from the first compressor to the combustor, means delivering heated motive gases from the combustor to the turbine and incorporating continuous blowdown, multiple ash separating means, and means for regeneratively heating the low pressure air delivered from the first compressor to the combustor.

3. A generating electric power plant including a coal fired gas turbine, a generator driven by the turbine, a source of heated motive gases for the turbine including a first secondary air compressor driven by the turbine, a second primary air compressor, a coal bunker, a coal pulverizer fed from the bunker, atmospheric pulverized coal storage means, a pressurized combustor, a pulverized coal feed line from the coal storage means to the combustor incorporating a variable delivery, pulverized coal feeder and a constant speed rotary transfer pump, said feeder discharging into the said feed line through said pump, pneumatic conduit means delivering high pressure primary air from the second compressor to the pulverized coal feed line through the said pump, whereby a combustible, streaming entrainment of primary air-borne pulverized coal particles is formed and delivered to the pressurized combustor, pneumatic conduit means delivering low pressure secondary air from the,

aerzzactzc first compressor :to cthe :combustor, means =de- -livering v'heatedemotivegases:f-rom athe. combustor to the iturbine land iincorporating a plurality .of series aconnecttsd :ash :separating means, 'means 'for.;de1ivering :h-eated gases from :the rash sepamtorsizto ,thecoalxbu-nker, whereby to .dry .coal fed to ithe rccal :pulverizer, :and rmeans ft)! re,- generativeiy iheating 15116 low pressure iair -delivered fromithe ifirst compr-essor to zthelcombustor.

4. A igenerating electric :power-.p1ant including a gas :turbine, .a generator and a afirst secsondary :air :compressor driven rby ethe :turbine, .a source of rhea-ted ,motive gases for ithB iturbine, including :said nfirst .air :compressor, a second, aprimary air ;compressor idelivening r-primary air at higher pressurezthanzthesecondaryiairpa coal bunker, a 20031 pulverizer :fed serum ithe ibunirer, atmospheric pulverized coal storage means, a pressurized combustonun-eans for :deliveringipul Wenized. coal .ifrom :theisaid ;storage means to a 'pneumaticiconduit ifeed: line, comprising aegrav- -ity Efceder idischarging iinto sa srctany :pump, said rotary epurnp iha-ving :disoharge :means registering iwithiand in-saidcpneumaitici conduit, im-eans ide'livering .air :from ethe isecond icompressor lto vpncumatic iconduit :thrcugh said ipump, whereby :to iform 1a iccmbustible streaming .entrainmentiof aireborne -sf1uidized coal ,particles in 1a cnmbustigeiair :stream, :means for delivering got icembustive :-aeborne coal zparticlesitoathemornbustor, regenerativeiair heat.- iing zmeans dieltvering slow pressure 3311' from ithe first icompressor 2170 title icombustor, ,and :means delivering iheated imnttve gases ,f-rom the ccmdmstor aoathesturbineiand iincludingmuitiple isenarating xmeans with air iiniector discharge imeans,iwhereby'ascontinuousiblowdowmandccre icomitant ieooling :Gf separated ash .l-iS effected.

11A generating .ielectric Jpcvcer 213131113 iincludaing a,- gasiturbine, ;a;generato1x driven :byothe turhine, ..-;a rsource io'f sheated imctiv-e igases do! the iurhime, ;.inc111ding a isecondary :air roomipressonzaiseccnd,iprimaryiair. eompressor a coal bunker, ca .poal pulverizer :fed from xthe ibunker, atnmspheric ipulverized local .storage :means, a zplpssurized acombustor, imeans for delivering pulverized coal ifromgtheesaidrstorageimeans .to a high ipressureipneumatici conduit ifeediline, come prising:aagravitmieedendischarging into-a rotary pump,saidsrotaryipump having dischargemeans iregistering svithi-and iinasaid 'rpneumatic conduit, meansifioredeliieringimr:fromrthe:firstrcompres- 801' Ft!) the second ieonipressor, whereby :to increase the pressure of thefplgmmlfygaii' a bgvegthat, of the secondary air, means delivering high pres;- suraaircfromiathe second compressor to said pneumati-c conduit, .Wherebyuto :form :a (combustible streaming entrainment of air-borne fluidized coal particles in a combustiveiairstream, means fordeiivering-saidcombustive air bornecoalpan ticles -to-the combustor,-regenerative airiheating means delivering "heated airfromithe first .,compressortmthecombustor; means delivering heated 'motivegases frorn'thecombustorgto the: turbine, includin continuous "blovrdown, multiple ash separating-means, anda 'cleanedgas return; line from=the-blowdown separators'to'the turbine feed line.

6. ,A. generating e1ectric,.power plant including asga 'iturbine, a generatordrivenzby the-turbine, alsource ofiheated motive -gasesvfor the-mu. ine, includingaifirst, low-pressureisecondaryiairs-compressor, a second, high-pressure primary air compressor, a. coal bunker, a coal pulverizer fed ,Irom the bunker, atmospheric pulverized coal storage :means, :a pressurized ..co,mbustcr, :means for delivering pulverized qcoal dirom :the said storage .means to a high-pressure pneumatic conduit feed line, comprising ;,a gravity .c feeder discharging into a rotary pump, said rotary pump having discharge means registering with and in .said pneumatic conduit, :means .for depressor :to said pneumatic :conduit, whereby to form a combustible streaming entrainment of air-bornefluidizedcoal particlesin a combustive air stream, means :for delivering saidicombustive air-bornecoal particles to the combustor, re- .generativeair heating means delivering-heated air from the first comp-ressor'to the combust-or, means delivering heated motive .gases i'rom :the combustor to :the turbine and including continuous ,blowdown, multiple .:ash separating means comprising a first, coarse i-ashisepa nator, anda second, fine ashrseparatonaseparate rash discharge means *for said separators, said iash discharge means including an :air ginjector Aline, whereby :the ash is cooled .by :inspirated, .:cool ambient air, ,means ,for -.:separating icooled rash from *the ambient cooling fluid, and means :for delivering :the now heated icooling fluid-$0 the coal bunker stoker, whereby itoldllyft he bunker coal fed to thepulverizer.

7. A generating ,electricjpower plant:iincluding a gas turbine, agenerator .and aefirstr-air compressoridriven by thezjturbine,,atsourcesofiheated motive gases, for the. turbine, includingusaid first .tering with and insaid pneumatic. conduit, means el ver n airjfrom'theesecond compressor to said pneumatic conduit, ,vvherebyiojformva streaming entra nm nt of -air- -borne'fluidized icoal particles inZ a cornbustive qair-stream, means for4de1iVel'iflg said co mbustiveflaireborne pulverized-coal itoaathe ombu tor, regenerative-air heating :means delivering heated :air from i'the :first compressor-ate the ,combustor, means delivering heated Emotive gases from lthGflGOlIllb'l-ISIIQI, to :t-herturbine; andx-ineluding ;.0ontin.uous ibl'Q-WdGWIl multiple gash separaing means, comprising a first, .coarse:ash sepiaratorganda second,-fine ,ash-separator common cleaned ,air ,discharge ;.means and separate ash discharge :means for:;sai,d eseparators, isaid ash discharge :means including :an air iinjectcr dine, wherebythexashnis cooled,.means ifQI separating cooled :ash from the ambient cooling fluid, and means for delivering'the-nowiheated; cooling fluid to-;rthe coal bunker stoker, whereby'to dry :the bunker coaljfedcto the pulverizer.

18. ,A ggenerati-ngeelectric :power plant particularlvadapted foruse in coal'burning locomotives including a coal 'firedzpower plant-incorporating areas: turbine, a generator drivensbwthe turbine, anon-rec of heated motive igases ifor :the turbine including :a :first lowepressure, compressed secondary iairssource, :aisecon'dshighspressure, com.- pressed zpr-irnary .=air :sou-rce,-a coah bunker, a eoal pulverizer fed from the bunker, atmospheric pulverized coal storage means, a pressurized combustive unit, a pulverized coal feed line from the coal storage means to the combustive unit, pneumatic conduit means delivering air from the second air source to the pulverized coal feed line, pneumatic conduit means delivering compressed air from the first air source to the combustive unit, means delivering heated motive gases from the combustive unit to the turbine and incorporating multiple ash separating means in advance of the turbine, and injector means for delivering stripped heated gases from the ash separating means to the coal bunker, whereby to dry coal fed to the coal pulverizer, said pulverizer coal feed line including a rotary coal transfer pump, whereby pulverized coal is transferred from the atmospheric pulverized coal storage means to the pressurized combustive unit as a combustible streaming entrainment of air-borne fluidized coal particles in a pressurized air stream.

9. Generating electric power plant according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that the multiple ash separating means comprises a first conical louver separator for coarse ash and a second fine ash separator, both of the separators incorporating ash blow-down lines separately discharging into vortical whirl ash concentrators, means delivering cleaned gas from the concentrators to the cleaned motive fluid line to the turbine, each said separator further incorporating a concentrated ash blow-down line, said blow-down lines severally terminating in discharge nozzles embouched in the injector means.

10. Generating electric power plant according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that the injector means for delivering stripped heated gases from the ash separating means to the; coal bunker incorporates ash separating means which receives cooled air-borne ash from the injector, the cooled ash being separated and delivered to storage, and the cleaned heated gases being delivered to the coal bunker.

11. A generating electric power plant particularly adapted for use in coal burning locomotives, including a coal fired power plant incorporating a gas turbine, mechanical power take-off means driven by the turbine, a source of heated motive gases for the turbine including a first, lowpressure, compressed secondary air source, a second, high-pressure, compressed primary air source, a coal bunker, a coal pulverizer fed from the bunker, atmospheric pulverized coal storage means, a pressurized combustive unit, a pulverized coal feed line from the coal storage means to the combustive unit, pneumatic conduit means delivering air from the second air source to the pulverized coal feed line, pneumatic conduit means delivering compressed air from the first air source to the combustive unit, means delivering heated motive gases from the combustive unit to the turbine and incorporating continuous blowdown, multiple ash separating means in advance of the turbine, said pulverized coal feed line including a rotary coal transfer pump, whereby pulverized coal is transferred from the pulverized coal storage means to the combustive unit as a combustion-supporting streaming entrainment of air-borne fluidized coal particles in a pressurized combustive air stream.

12. A generating electric power plant particularly adapted for use in coal burning locomotives including a coal fired power plant incorporating a gas turbine, mechanical power take-oi! means driven by the turbine, a source of heated motive gases for the turbine including a, first, lowpressure, compressed secondary air source, a second, high-pressure, compressed primary air source, a coal bunker, a coal pulverizer fed from the bunker, atmospheric pulverized coal storage means, a pressurized combustive unit, pneumatic conduit means delivering compressed air from the second air source to the pulverized coal feed line, pneumatic conduit means delivering compressed air from the first air source to the combustive unit, means delivering heated motive gases from the combustive unit to the turbine and incorporating multiple ash separating means in advance of the turbine, and means for delivering 15 stripped gases from the ash separating means to the coal bunker, whereby to dry coal fed to the coal pulverizer, said pulverized coal feed line including a rotary coal transfer pump, whereby pulverized coal is transferred from the atmospheric pulverized coal storage means to the pressurized combustive unit as a combustible streaming entrainment of air-borne fluidized coal particles in a pressurized combustive air stream.

13. A generating electric power plant particularly adapted for use in coal burning locomotives including a coal fired power plant incorporating a gas turbine, mechanical power take-off means driven by the turbine, a source of heated motive gases for the turbine including a first, lowpressure, compressed secondary air source, a second, high-pressure, compressed primary air source, a coal bunker, a coal pulverizer fed from the bunker, atmospheric pulverized coal storage means, a pressurized combustive unit, a pulverized coal feed line from the coal storage means to the combustive unit, pneumatic conduit means delivering compressed combustive air from the second primary air source to the pulverized coal feed line, pneumatic conduit means delivering compressed air from the first air source to the combustive unit, means delivering heated motive gases from the combustive unit to the turbine and incorporating multiple ash separating means with an air injector continuous blowdown line, in advance of the turbine, and means for delivering stripped gases from the blowdown line to the coal bunker, whereby to dry coal fed to the coal pulverizer, said pulverized coal feed line including a rotary coal transfer pump, whereby pul- 90 verized coal is transferred from the atmospheric pulverized coal storage means to the pressurized combustive unit as a combustible streaming en trainment of air-borne fluidized coal particles in a pressurized air stream.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 30 551,074 De Camp Dec. 10, 1895 730,782 Morrison June 9, 1903 1,180,792 Norrman Apr. 25, 1916 1,319,119 Schutz Oct. 21, 1919 1,771,497 Mayr July 29, 1930 so 1,778,774 Rice et al Oct. 21, 1930 1,897,478 Holzwarth Feb. 14, 1933 2,226,923 Cross Dec. 31, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 413,697 Great Britain July 18, 1934 484,289 Great Britain May 3, 1938 541,845 Great Britain Dec. 15, 1941 

